Nothing New Here

We got a new cable today on employment of Eligible Family Members (EFMs) and Members of Household. Here is the pertinent paragragh:

"8. If no U.S. Citizen EFMs apply, or if none is fully qualified after the HR eligibility and qualifications review and interview with the supervisor, then HR may staff the position with a U.S. Citizen Member of Household(MOH) or other Ordinarily Resident U.S. Citizen eligibleto obtain the required security clearance. HR may staff the position for a fixed term of two years, or the maximum amount of time local labor law allows termination without cause (without a reason). At the end of the fixed-termposition, HR may readvertise the position open only to USEFMs."

So basically this means that Members of Household (same-sex partners, unmarried opposite sex partners, adult children of the employee, etc) will continue to not be allowed to apply for any job which a qualifed EFM wants, even if the MOH is MORE qualified. And they will be given NO PREFERENCE over ordinary Americans living in the country, even though they are at post not because they wanted to live somewhere other than America but because their partner (and them by extension) is serving the country. And bear in mind that folks living overseas with the FS are on a government salary, so often these kinds of jobs make a huge difference in terms of the income of a family (gay or straight).

Just one more way that gays and lesbians are treated as less than their straight collegues even in the service to the country.